In other words, some species of human ancestor — likely Australopithecus afarensis, whose best known representative is 3.2-million-year-old Lucy, the authors say — not only had a hankering for meat, which scientists had not expected, but used tools to get it.

Admittedly not exactly a hot news item, but it could pour oil on the vegan fire :-)

Admittedly not exactly a hot news item, but it could pour oil on the vegan fire :-)

Actually, I don't think this will pour any oil on any vegan fire. Solfeggio can correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as if many vegans and animal rights activists argue that humans, in their "primitive" pasts, have relied on meat and other animal products for survival. This includes the complex buffalo culture of the North American Plains, as well as Neolithic Europeans who gave their babies and children non-human milk to consume. Though as a result of our advanced technologies, from agriculture to transportation to plastics manufacturing, human beings today no longer need to use animal skins for clothing and for shelter, or animal bones to make bowls and spoons and knife handles, nor do they need to rely upon meat, eggs, and milk for their dietary needs.

People today -- the majority of whom live in urban areas -- can go to the store and buy dishes and silverware made out of plastic and steel; they can buy beverages in glass, plastic, and aluminum containers; they can buy not only fresh fruits and vegetables even in the winter months, but also canned fruits and vegetables; they can buy clothing made from cotton and polyester; they can buy plastic belts rather than leather belts; they can even buy Boca burgers for those who still have the carnivorous taste for meat. This seems to be the argument -- we no longer live in conditions that would force us for the sake of survival to go out and shoot a deer with a bow and arrow, or club a rabbit with a rock, or even raise chickens and cows and pigs on little farms out in the middle of nowhere.

I always wonder how the "young creationists" handle this kind of scientific truth. I mean, if the earth was created slightly before the Pyramids of Egypt, then how did those Australopithecenes miss the piece in the biblical book of Genesis not mentioning them?

Other than that, did they barbecue?

*******

"Wesley told the early Methodists to gain all they could and save all they could so that they could give all they could. It means that I consider my money to belong to God and I see myself as one of the hungry people who needs to get fed with God’s money. If I really have put all my trust in Jesus Christ as savior and Lord, then nothing I have is really my own anymore."

Admittedly not exactly a hot news item, but it could pour oil on the vegan fire :-)

Actually, I don't think this will pour any oil on any vegan fire. Solfeggio can correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as if many vegans and animal rights activists argue that humans, in their "primitive" pasts, have relied on meat and other animal products for survival. This includes the complex buffalo culture of the North American Plains, as well as Neolithic Europeans who gave their babies and children non-human milk to consume. Though as a result of our advanced technologies, from agriculture to transportation to plastics manufacturing, human beings today no longer need to use animal skins for clothing and for shelter, or animal bones to make bowls and spoons and knife handles, nor do they need to rely upon meat, eggs, and milk for their dietary needs.

People today -- the majority of whom live in urban areas -- can go to the store and buy dishes and silverware made out of plastic and steel; they can buy beverages in glass, plastic, and aluminum containers; they can buy not only fresh fruits and vegetables even in the winter months, but also canned fruits and vegetables; they can buy clothing made from cotton and polyester; they can buy plastic belts rather than leather belts; they can even buy Boca burgers for those who still have the carnivorous taste for meat. This seems to be the argument -- we no longer live in conditions that would force us for the sake of survival to go out and shoot a deer with a bow and arrow, or club a rabbit with a rock, or even raise chickens and cows and pigs on little farms out in the middle of nowhere.

I think you have expressed the situation correctly. Life is continuous change and evolution. Birds were dinosaurs at one point. Meat eaters keep using "biological" arguments to justify their meat eating habits. I know very well they are very difficult to change, but it shouldn't cloud our judgement.

I'm making some burgers (from free range cattle on a neighbor's farm) for the kids tonight, but I get a delicious black-bean Morningstar burger. And thanks to whoever suggested the fake bacon ... twas delicious.